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The top ten over-priced English players in the Premier League

Proof that clubs are willing to pay much more for domestic goods

The national team couldn’t muster the will to qualify for Euro 2008, but somehow clubs continue to demand mega money for home grown talent. With David Bentley costing a princely sum, Gareth Barry’s non-negotiable fee and Andy Johnson’s imminent trade, it’s clear that players are far too expensive if they were born on this tiny island.

Hence, we think the time is right to consider ten of the most overpriced Englishman currently plying their trade in the Premier League, comparing their lofty prices with some better value foreign equivalents…

Shaun Wright-Phillips
Manchester City were heartbroken to lose their star player to Chelsea, but in hindsight getting £21 million was fantastic business. Four league goals in three seasons compared to ten in his last year at Citeh highlights his failure to step up.Foreign equivalent: Amantino Mancini to Inter – £10 million

Owen Hargreaves£17 million might not have been too steep for a 26-year-old midfielder, but his failure to dislodge Michael Carrick, his predecessor in the overpriced stakes, shows he has yet to live up to his price-tag.Foreign equivalent: Yaya Toure to Barcelona – just over £7 million

Scott Parker
The midfielder moved from Charlton to Chelsea to Newcastle and then to West Ham for a combined fee of £23.5 million, but has still managed just three England caps. Injury limited Parker to 17 league starts last season, meaning West Ham are yet to receive value for their £7 million investment.Foreign equivalent: Tim Cahill to Everton – £1.5 million

Dave Kitson
The ginger striker’s invaluable contribution to Reading’s relegation battle wasto score just two goals in his 16 games in 2008. So how does a player who scored 11 league goals in two seasons suddenly warrant a £5.5 million price tag? Stoke boss Tony Pulis must know something we don’t.Foreign equivalent: Cristian Bucchi to Napoli – just over £2.75 million

Dave Nugent
Portsmouth signed him for £6 million last summer but Harry Redknapp announced just over a month later that he would listen to offers for the striker. Nugent persevered and is thought to have turned down a move to Ipswich this summer. This season he is hoping to actually score a league goal.Foreign equivalent: Guillaume Hoarau to PSG – just under £400,000

Darren Bent
If value for money was determined by goals in pre-season then Tottenham would have every reason to be delighted by their £16.5 million investment after ten goals in friendlies this summer. But it means nothing. After all, Milan Baros was a regular scorer in pre-season but rarely converted that into league form.Foreign equivalent: Cristiano Lucarelli to Shakhtar – £6 million

Leighton Baines
Everton bought the left-back from Wigan last summer, but preferred employing Joleon Lescott there with Phil Jagielka and Joseph Yobo in the centre. He has yet to be picked in an England squad, with Chelsea reserve Wayne Bridge preferred, so despite his potential £6 million seems too steep.Foreign equivalent: World Cup winning Fabio Grosso to Inter – just over £4.3 million

Curtis Davies
The deal may have been finalised this July, but it was last summer that Aston Villa agreed a fee ranging between £8 or £10 million depending on who you believe for the uncapped centre-back who, at that point in time, was at a Championship club.Foreign equivalent: Slovak international Martin Skrtel to Liverpool – £6 million

Peter Crouch
The lanky striker’s international goal ratio of 14 goals in 28 games is impressive, but at club level his record is not quite as hot. So for Portsmouth to spend £9 million, rising to £11 million, on a player who scored 22 in 85 for Liverpool and had only a year left on his contract is quite a gamble.Foreign equivalent: Luca Toni to Bayern Munich – just over £8.6 million

Nigel Reo Coker and Marlon Harewood
These two traded West Ham for Aston Villa in 2007 for a combined fee of £12.5 million, a fee that is heavy enough when neither have been capped by England, but bordering on ridiculous when you consider they were two of the Hammers worst performers in their relegation near miss of 2006-07.Foreign equivalent: Roque Santa Cruz and Morten Gamst Pedersen to Blackburn – £6.3 million

If you disagree with any inclusions, or think there are some gaping Joey Barton or Alan Smith-sized holes in our list, leave a comment below.

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